My 1st Vair - 1965 Corsa 140-4 hardtop

[SteveH]

LONG WEEKEND!!!! Yeah!

The goal was to get the exterior stripped by the end of Monday, Started on the pass door and immediately hit a roadblock DEEP bondo

2.5 hours later.....

Primed, the damage is not that bad. Have total access to this from behind. LAZY bodywork

Got the inside of the deck lid striped, rust treated, and primed!!

The swiss cheese that is my driver fender. I am using the most aggressive coarse knotted wire wheel to make sure than any weak spot is blown through. Now I know what needs repair. ALl of this will get the backside rust treated as well

And around the wheel arch.....

Ahh, more Red Bluff dirt hidden behind the light bucket....

1/2 way through the BIG surface....

DONE!!!

She's one color for the first time since I got her......

[County98]

Nice work! Good job! Can you post what products you're using for the bodywork as you go? I know nothing about that stuff and get confused between all the different primers, sealers, what works with what, etc.

Thanks!

[SteveH]

Sure.

I removed the old layers of paint with the knotted wire wheel you see on the end of the angle grinder sitting on the frunk lid.

I am currently treating it with Rust-Mort and then priming it with Standard spray can primer/sealer.

This pass was to expose all of the hidden work to be done, so it only got a single coat of primer so I can sand through it easier as I do the metal work to repair the previous stuff that the previous owner just bondo'd over. (That's next weekend)

During the week I wil be using my new electrolysis setup to strip rust from virtually everything that I have removed form the car.

[SteveH]

NOTE:

ALWAYS wear Safety gear. I got this "duelling scar" because the angle grinder got away from my while doing the underside of the roof. It bounced off of my safty glasses before it hit my cheek and shoulder. SMALL price to pay.

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[azdave]

Also, I just got a cool deal on these, unfortunately, when they arrived i read the sticker which says "Corvair Underground - U-2758 for NON-140 cars"

So, these are for 110's and 95's that want dual exhaust? drat... I assume that they are smaller in diameter that the 140's?

Yes. Those were made for people wanting dual exhaust on a non-140 which was not an option originally. The 140 exhaust logs have a larger outlet.

You want to sell them?

[SteveH]

I'd rather trade them for a pair of the correct ones, but sure. PM me an offer.

[SteveH]

My Corvair is 50 Years old as of TODAY!!!!!

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I had a bit of frustrating news Friday but it worked out today.
Our Homeowners association sent us a notice that we can not have non-op vehicles in our own friggin driveway....

However, after talking to them and explaining the situation we have been granted an exemption until Thanksgiving!

I now have a deadline.

The interior is almost ready for reassembly. I put the first pass at the undercoating on the roof and floors, and the first coat of DE1635 Semi-Gloss on the interior.

I did get a "Gift" for the Corvair though...

[SteveH]

the lower windshield frame is in!!!

(I know that rivets are not the preferred method (even these steel ones), but I have now got a limited time frame to get this solid, so we will experiment a little)

What I started with:

This is the "adapter" I made for the cowl panel to attach to.
The holes are countersunk and the plate has JB Weld between it and the body

This is the first connection. The rivets on the right side were done after I figured out that I could make a tool to modify the steel pop rivets to be countersunk

a little filler later..

primer sealed until next weekend when I can get in there and do the final smoothing pass and prep.

[viewmaster]

Looking good Steve!!! Keep up the good work, watch out for those grinders, and keep inspiring us that need to get our butts kicked on our projects...

[SteveH]

Thanks... Looking forward to this weekend. One of my goals is to have both the windshield and rear glass channels finished this weekend.

[SteveH]

well.... 3/4 of the way there.

I got the front done. the back glass channel is rebuilt and bondo'd but not sanded and primed

here is what is under there

Front

Back

For those interested the metal strip is 1.25" wide and folded at .625

[SteveH]

Made some progress this weekend

[viewmaster]

Looking good Steve, keep the energy up...

[Joe B]

Amazing progress in less than six months done part time! Simply incredible. Keep up the good work!

[mart]

please tell me you are going to weld it, rivets are not safe

[SteveH]

I appreciate you expression of concern, it is noted and appreciated.

If you are referring to the lower window cowl, no. It is secured with a backing plate, steel epoxy, and countersunk stainless rivets. I did some testing with the cut off bits ( 2" cut off from replacement cowl, and 2" cut off from original cowl). The welded test piece was not as strong as the overlapped bonded and riveted joint. The welded piece failed under torsion load about 1/16" away from the weld. The metal was too thin to handle the strain, (and the brittleness that occurs next to the weld) My only concern there, is a weakness on the outboard side next to the repair.

Or are you referring to the replaced metal at the top line for each window? I guarantee you that what is there is stronger than anything short of cutting off and installing a replacement roof.

Of course if I had a few extra months, I could chase all of the corroded metal back until I had something close to original thickness and replace any metal that has damage, but I have been given until Thanksgiving by my HOA to get the car operational or gone.

FYI - Given the time and resources, I would have gone with a rust free so-cal car. However, that NOT being an option, I am making this as solid as I can. Better that then the scrapper. This is my first Corvair, but not my first restore...